I'll Always Be There For You
by xoxo-catzeyez-xoxo
Summary: A one shot about how Gabriella always loses the most valuable things in her life and how a certain someone will always be there for her. Minor Troyella but still a Troyella. Read and Review please


**Just a little piece I put together because i was in a depressed mood. Hope you enjoy, and don't feel depressed after!**

**Disclaimer: Own nothing but the plot and the added characters. **

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17-year old Gabriella Aileen Montez sat on her bed, crying. She wiped her tears away and stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her normally bright brown eyes were now dull and dark. Her bouncy, shiny hair now lay dead on her shoulders. Her glossy lips were now chipped and rough. Her tanned skin was now lined with streaks of mascara from the day before. _**It's all over**_, she thought to herself, _**there's nothing left**_. She had never felt so alone; the petite girl stood up and walked over to her cupboard. Her baggy trousers hit the floor with every step she took. Gabriella opened a draw and searched the top section with her right hand. She smiled a little as she felt the soft fabric of her favourite book. Gabriella took the book out using both her hands; she closed the draw and walked back towards her bed. She sat down on the soft lilac blanket and looked at the book carefully before opening it. After seeing the first picture, tears emerged in her eyes. One the first page of her special book there was a picture. The day she was born the nurses took a picture of baby Gabriella and her parents. Gabriella felt sadness rush through her as she touched her father's photo. The feeling she was having right now wasn't a distant one. She had felt this way a couple of times. But her father's death had been the first. It was a day Gabriella wouldn't – and couldn't – forget.

**Flashback**

_15__th__ October 1997_

_Seven-year-old excited and exhausted Gabriella Montez jumped out of the silver Mercedes and waved goodbye to her new friends. She watched the car drive off into the distance before running towards her house. She opened the black gate and entered the garden. She looked around and smiled, her mother had planted some roses, a sweet touch to their flowery garden. She checked her pockets for the extra key her mother had handed her and then opened the front door. She smiled as she entered her home._

_"It's great to be home!" She said as she walked through the hallway. She stepped into the living room and spotted her mother and a plate of cookies and milk._

_"Hey Ella, how was your first day of school?" Leanne Montez asked her only child. Gabriella dumped her Barbie backpack on the floor before running to sit on the sofa with her mother. She pushed back her mass of curly brown hair and looked up at Leanne with her sparkling brown orbs._

_"School was good, the building is really big and the classrooms are nice. Our teacher is lovely, her name is Miss Keaton. Oh and I made a new friend her name is Taylor Mc-Mc-McKess-McKessie." Gabriella sounded out the last name just as her teacher had told her. She grabbed a cookie of the plate and took a bite._

_"She's really smart and she can read like me! She's my newest friend and I can't wait to see her again. There's this boy called Chad as well. He's really cool and has funny hair and __carries a basketball around with him. Oh yeah! This girl with yellow hair – and a weird name – tried to get him to put it up in a ponytail and he cried!" Gabriella giggled as she remembered what had happened._

_"Oh yeah I nearly forgot. There's this really annoying boy called Troy in my class. He kept on pulling my hair and calling me curly wurly!" Gabriella exclaimed as she took a sip of her milk. Leanne smiled and laughed as Gabriella told her about her day._

_"…Mrs Davies – my English teacher – is okay-ish. Most of all I like Taylor…she might be my…my…" Gabriella stopped as she began to cough, causing pieces of cookie to fly everywhere. Leanne handed her daughter the glass of milk and rubbed her back gently. Gabriella took the glass and took a sip._

_"…best friend." She finished her sentence after she regained the ability to talk properly. She took a deep breath and finished off the rest of the cookie. Leanne laughed at her daughters actions._

_"Sounds like you had a great day." Leanne spoke. Gabriella nodded vigorously. Gabriella jumped off the couch and gave her mother a kiss on the cheek._

_"I'm going to go play with my dolls." She announced as she skipped out of the room. Leanne stood up and followed her daughter._

_"Don't tire yourself out and don't try to give Barbie another bubble bath." Leanne added sternly._

_"Okay!" Gabriella replied from the top of the staircase. Leanne just shook her head and went into the kitchen. She placed Gabriella's plate and glass in the dishwasher with all the other dirty dishes. She switched the dishwasher on and then went back into the living room. She sat back on the couch and switched the television on. Leanne surfed the channels and glanced up at the clock. As she noticed the time, she frowned. Mario - her husband and Gabriella's father – was late._

_**Two Hours Later…**_

_Gabriella finished tidying up the last of her dolls. She picked up her favourite Barbie doll and placed her in the Barbie box carefully, not wanting to ruin the dolls hair. She looked up at the time and quickly put the box away. She made sure her room was completely doll free before running downstairs. It was 5:00pm and Gabriella's father was usually sitting down having his tea, it was also Gabriella/Mario time. The two always talked non stop at tea time. Anyway Gabriella carefully ran down the hall and into the dining room but she found no one there. She shrugged and decided that her father may have decided to watch TV while he ate today. She ran into the living room and again found no one. Only her adorable pet cat Mr Cuddles and the furniture. Gabriella picked up Mr Cuddles and carried him into the kitchen. She heard some soft sobs and placed Mr Cuddles on the floor. She walked around the kitchen counter __and found her mother sitting on a stool crying her heart out. Gabriella placed her hands on top of Leanne's._

_"Mommy why are you crying?" She asked in her angelic voice. Leanne wiped away her tears and gave her daughter a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Gabriella was a pretty smart kid and she noticed this small notion. _

_"It's nothing Ella, nothing." Leanne lied, unable to spit out the truth. Gabriella sighed. Her mother was awful at lying and Gabriella could see the sorrow written all over her face._

_"Where's Daddy?" Gabriella asked looking around. Leanne's eyes filled up with fresh tears. Gabriella looked at her mother and saw the tears in her eyes._

_"What happened Mommy?" She asked. Leanne couldn't even brig herself to say it. Now Gabriella was getting scared._

_"What is it Mommy, what is it?" Gabriella asked, wanting to know badly._

_"He's gone…" Leanne said quietly. Gabriella looked at her mother in confusion._

_"Who?" She asked. A part of her wanted to know and a part of her was afraid to find out._

_"Your Dad, he's gone. He died today…in-in a c-car cra-sh." Leanne said and broke out in tears again. Gabriella's eyes widened as the truth sunk in. She let out a small, but loud scream. Then she broke down. It wasn't true, it just wasn't._

_**The Next Day…**_

_Gabriella walked into class, her head hung low, her body slum and dormant. As she made her way to her seat the whole class watched her. Even Miss Keaton was worried about her. Normally Gabriella was really active in the morning but today she seemed as if…as if she had lost her best friend. But it was worse. _

_"Okay register class." Miss Keaton said. She went down the list of names one by one and each child answered 'Yes Miss.' then she got to Gabriella. "Gabi." Miss Keaton said using the name Gabriella wanted the class to call her. Gabriella looked up, her eyes were full of tears and she looked like she was going to break down any second now. Miss Keaton looked at the little girl with concern, what was wrong with sweet, energetic Gabriella today? Just then a woman entered the room carrying a piece of paper. The note was handed to Miss Keaton, who then read it herself. She sighed and then looked at Gabriella._

_"Gabriella would you like to go outside for a bit?" She asked the young girl. Gabriella shook her head. "Okay, but if you do want to go then just ask." The teacher said. Gabriella just nodded in return. Miss Keaton sighed and just carried on as usual._

_**An Hour Later…**_

_Gabriella sat by the pond, her feet barely touching the water. She had escaped from the questions, the sympathy and the annoyance around half an hour ago. She had simply asked her teacher if she could go and that was that. Gabriella looked out at the sun beaming high in the sky. Mario loved the sun; he loved to watch it rise and loved to watch it set. Gabriella looked away, why did he have to like the sun? Now she wouldn't be able to look at it without thinking of him. Gabriella was so deep in thought that she didn't realise that someone had sat down next to her._

_"Hey…" Only when the person spoke, she broke out of her trance. She looked at the person standing next to her._

_"Troy…?" She said, or rather asked. Troy nodded, his messy brown hair going everywhere._

_"I thought you might want some company. The rest of the kids are too noisy and I figured that I should come to see how you are." Troy explained. Gabriella nodded, touched that the boy who had teased her the day before was now coming to comfort her._

_"Well, I'm not all that good and I don't want to talk about it." Gabriella said with a hint of bitterness in her voice. But Troy didn't care._

_"And you have every right not to." He added. So they just sat there in silence enjoying the peace and tranquillity. But just before they got up and walked back to class, Troy whispered a few words._

_"I'll always be there for you G, not because he isn't." He said. Gabriella smiled a little, she knew what Troy was talking about and she was grateful that he came instead of Taylor or Chad or anyone. _

**End Flashback**

Gabriella stopped remembering the day and wiped away her tears. It was too painful knowing that she would never see him again, but Mario had always told her that wherever he was, he would always be in her heart. Gabriella believed strongly in those words and they were the only things that kept her going. She had known that she had to look after her mother and Gabriella had done a pretty good job. Gabriella sighed as she turned the page and flicked through most of her childhood pictures. She laughed at the one with Chad and Sharpay messing around. She smiled at the ones of her and Taylor hugging each other. Then she stopped as she came to a certain picture of a certain friend. Gabriella could feel the tears forming in her eyes again; she smiled lightly at the picture as a teardrop fell on it. Gabriella wiped it away with her finger and closed her eyes. She would never forget that day, the day she lost a dear friend.

**Flashback**

_13-year-old Gabriella strolled down the pavement alongside her best friend of four years, Ryan Evans. He was a reasonably good-looking boy; he had an all-American style you could say. Silky blonde hair – that was cut short and spiked up on this particular day – soft twinkling blue eyes – the friendly kind. He had pale skin, inherited from his mother and great strength, inherited from his father. Yeah he had it all. Plus he was a master of the Arts, you name it, he's done it. Singing, dancing and acting, all three were his specialties. Ryan was also a boy of courage and faith, he wasn't afraid to show his inner feelings and that made him seem more like a man. But to Gabriella he was just the brother she wished she had. The two friends were on their daily walk back home from school and today they had decided to enjoy the sunny weather. Ryan casually draped his arm over Gabriella's shoulder making her smile. It was just a brotherly gesture for the both of them. The trod along and talked about normal subjects such as school and other general subjects. But alongside that the two usually ad deep conversations where they talked about things that were very personal to them. Gabriella had opened up to him about her father, not so long ago and in return Ryan shared a story of his own with her. Ryan came from a very rich family; they owned the biggest country club around. His family consisted of his father, mother and twin sister. They were kind and caring just like any other family but Ryan still felt out of place. The only person in his family to __made__ him feel like an Evans was his Grandfather. Joe Evans, your typical everyday saint. Everyone loved him but sadly his time had come and he'd passed away a year back. Ryan was heartbroken and Gabriella comforted him, thus making them __come__ closer as friends._

_"So how are things at home?" Gabriella asked, looking up at Ryan. _

_"Eh, okay I guess." Ryan replied with a shrug of his shoulders. Gabriella sighed and carried on walking. They turned the corner and spotted Troy Bolton and Chad Danforth standing in their usual spot, surrounded by a hoard of guys and girls. The two boys had followed Gabriella to high school, not taking the same classes as her but she saw them on a daily basis. They were pretty much the same but older. Chad still had his crazy Afro and he even took an oath to never cut it. He only spoke of basketball nowadays and also always carried a basketball around with him. When Gabriella first noticed this she laughed but this was just normal Chad behaviour. Troy was still the same in Gabriella's eyes. The same sandy-brown hair that draped over his right eye causing him to flick it back every now and again. The same intense blue eyes that hypnotised you and basically made every girl faint at the sight of them. The same million dollar smile that also was a way of welcoming people. Yup Troy Bolton hadn't changed a bit. As the pair walked by Troy noticed Gabriella and grinned. He waved at her and she smiled and waved back. Ryan watched the two as they passed._

_"You so have a crush on him, just admit it." Ryan blurted out as they passed Troy and co. Gabriella looked up at him in alarm._

_"No I don't, what makes you think that?" She replied._

_"You do and you've gone all red thinking about it. Plus I know these kinds of things." Ryan just laughed as his friends face went a deeper shade of red. _

_ "You are so immature." She said as she flicked her hair back. She cursed Ryan under her breath. Ryan looked at her and she stuck her tongue out at him._

_"Oh now who's immature!" Ryan exclaimed. Gabriella just laughed and shrugged._

_"And what?" She said as she walked in front of Ryan. That was a bad move. Ryan picked her up by the waist and carried her down the road._

_"Aah! Ryan Evans put me down now!" Gabriella said as they walked towards the road. Ryan put her down and she began to walk across the road._

_"Well aren't you coming? Mom made brownies!" Gabriella said as she stopped in the middle of the road. Normally she would've known better and would've gone to the other side before talking. But Gabriella knew the street was not that busy so she stood her ground. Ryan smiled and began walking. He looked to his left and saw a car coming full speed at Gabriella._

_"GABI!" He yelled as he ran across the street. Gabriella was frozen on the spot and the next thing she knew she was on the ground. She sat up and her eyes widened. Ryan was laid down on the floor on his face. Gabriella crawled over to him and turned him over. He had blood running down his face and his eyes were closed._

_"HELP! SOMEONE HELP!" She shouted as she placed Ryan's head in her lap. Just then Troy and Chad walked around the corner. They saw the brunette and the blonde in the middle of the street and ran over. By this time Gabriella was in tears. Chad took out his phone and called an ambulance. They sat with her as they waited for the ambulance to come._

_**Two hours later…**_

_Gabriella sat by the pool, her feet barely touching the water._

_"It's been some time since I've been down here." She whispered to no one in particular. The lake was glistening in front of her and the sun shone brightly. She looked around at the green of the trees and sighed as she wiped away her tears. She had ended p in the same park, the same place with the same thoughts…again. Tears sprung to her eyes as she remembered what had happened._

_**An Hour Ago…**_

_Gabriella paced across the floor of the hospital, her heart beating faster and faster as she thought about Ryan. They had gotten to the hospital but Ryan was rushed in so quickly that Gabriella didn't get a second glance at him._

_"Where is my baby?" Gabriella turned around to find Amelia Evans running up to her, tears streaming down her face, fear showing clearly in her eyes._

_"I don't know…I've been waiting for some news as well." Gabriella said, trying to hold back her tears. Amelia just sat down on the bench crying as she sat. Ricardo Evans placed a comforting arm around his wife's shoulders and gave Gabriella a small smile. But Gabriella could tell that it was forced, that he was as scared as she and Amelia were. Next to come was Sharpay, looking as bad as ever. Her blonde hair was held back in a messy bun, her make up completely forgotten, her clothes…not sparkly. This was what Sharpay looked like when she was down._

_"Gabi how is he?" She asked her voice quiet and not shrilly as usual._

_"I don't know, they didn't tell me." Gabriella replied, her voice equally quiet. Troy, Chad and Leanne were also at the hospital. Gabriella felt a hand rest on her shoulder and turned to find her mother. "Ma…" She began to say, but she couldn't get any words out. Leanne just gave her a reassuring smile and pulled her into a hug._

_"He'll be okay honey, I'm hope." Leanne added. This made Gabriella feel even worse, even her own mother wasn't sure of Ryan's well-being so what hope was there left in the world. All Gabriella knew was that she was going to lose yet another important person in her life. Troy looked over at her and sighed. She'd been through this kind of pain twice. He had just prayed for Ryan to be alive. That way everyone was happy. Just then a doctor came into the waiting room._

_"Ryan Evans?" He called out. The group stood up and ran to him._

_"How is my baby? Where is my baby?" Amelia cried. Ricardo patted her gently on the back and pried her off the doctor's collar. He looked down at her and then back at the doctor. You could see the fear and sadness reflecting in his eyes._

_"How is he?" He spoke; his voice was quiet and sad, not thunderous and friendly like normal. The doctor looked down and Gabriella turned away. It was like she knew what was going to happen next._

_"I'm sorry, but his windpipe was damaged and we couldn't save him in time." The doctor walked away, not being able to bare Amelia's reaction. She slid to the floor with a blood-curdling scream. Ricardo tried his best to maintain his coolness but his emotions took over and the tears streamed down his face. Sharpay was also going crazy, her eyes puffy and red, and her sobs loud and painful. Gabriella looked up at her own mother, who thought of Ryan as her son, and saw the tears emerging in her eyes and that was all it took for her to run out of the hospital._

_**Present Time…**_

_So here she was, sitting by the pool mourning yet another death. She couldn't believe that this was happening to her again. Part of her wanted Ryan to jump out and scream 'fooled ya!' and then for everything to go back to normal. But she knew that wasn't going to happen. Gabriella sighed as she fiddled with her hair not knowing what to do or where to go. Last time she was just a child so her escape route was to get lost in her own imaginary. But now Gabriella had lost all of that and had no hope in getting it back. Gabriella just looked at the sun once and then that was it. Her head automatically fell into her hands and she began to cry. It was too much for her to handle. Troy entered the park knowing that she would be there, after all this is the same place she came last time. He too was upset when the announcement was made but he could tell that it had hit Gabriella harder. He had seen her run of and was the only one to make an attempt to run after her. Even Leanne couldn't face her daughter after this. But Troy knew that she would only come to one place and here he was searching for her by the pond. Troy smiled a little as he found her in the same spot in the same position. He went and sat down next to her. Just like the last time, she felt his presence and looked up._

_"It was my entire fault…all my fault." She repeated. Troy shook his head._

_"No it wasn't. It was just his time to go." He told her. Gabriella turned around to look at him in confusion._

_"Why?" She asked wanting to know his response. Troy thought for a moment._

_"Everyone has to leave this world someday and it was his time." He explained. Gabriella nodded, it made sense but it didn't ease her pain. For the next few hours the pair sat in silence, Troy occasionally singing a few words to her. He head was in his lap and he was stroking her hair, trying to make her feel better. Gabriella just cried, her tears falling onto his jeans. His soft voice singing and repeating those words._

_"I'll always be there for you."_

**_End Flashback_**

Gabriella wiped away her tears with a tissue. She closed the album and placed it back in her draw, back on its shelf. It was time.

"This is it…" She said to herself as she walked over to her wardrobe. She opened the door and pulled out a very dark and gloomy pair of clothes. Ones she never thought of wearing before, but now she had to wear them. She tore off her tank top and baggy tracksuit bottoms and placed a black long sleeved dress over her petite body. She picked up her hairbrush and combed her hair into a small messy bun. She looked at her face and decided that make-up would be unnecessary because it wasn't exactly a day to dress up. She grabbed her shawl and whipped it around her body and then went to find her shoes. After getting dressed she grabbed her long coat and purse and made her way down the stairs. She walked though the empty rooms, her heels clicking on the floor, trying to find her keys. She grabbed them off the kitchen counter and then took a deep breath as she walked out of the house. She locked the front door and then walked through the garden, noticing that the flowers had withered and died. Gabriella just looked away, not wanting to lose it again. She opened the gate and stepped out, people passing by smiled at her but she couldn't find the happiness to smile back. She was too depressed to even manage and lopsided grin. She made her way over to her car and opened the door to the driver's seat. She sat down and buckled her seatbelt. She started the engine and then slowly made her way over to her mother's funeral.

**The Funeral…**

As she arrived she spotted a lot of people. She stepped out of the ca and instantly spotted the Evans family. They had gotten closer ever since Ryan passed away and they were almost like family now. Ricardo patted Amelia's back as she cried onto his shoulder. Amelia and Leanne were like the best of friends, both helping each other to get over their loss. But now Amelia had another death to deal with. Sharpay stood silently next to them, her tars threatened to fall but she wouldn't let them, she couldn't let them. Sharpay and Gabriella were now like sisters and Sharpay felt as if she had to be brave for Gabriella's sake. Gabriella closed her eyes and held back her tears; if anyone knew what she was going through right now it would be the Evans. She walked past them and hr eyes caught another familiar face. Chad Danforth stood, with his arm around his sister Danielle, looking down and slightly depressed. They had also gotten to know Gabriella and were now good friends with her. Celia Danforth was sat close to them, tears falling from her eyes, not being able to face anyone. Leanne was Celia's cooking buddy and they usually made cakes for the kids in the care home. Now there wouldn't be anymore laughter and catching up. Just plain old silence. Gabriella smiled as she thought of her mother's love for cooking. Her smile went as quick as it came, as she remembered her mother. Gabriella shook her head slightly as she carried on walking. From afar she spotted the McKessies sitting down with blank looks on their faces. Todd McKessie wasn't a very emotional man but ever since Mario died his lifestyle had changed. You see Mario Montez and Todd were business partners, first Todd had to mourn over Mario's death and now it was time to mourn over Leanne's death. Kelly McKessie held onto her daughter, Taylor, as they cried. Both were very close to Gabriella and Leanne so losing the elder Montez was heartbreaking for both of them. Gabriella walked along and spotted a lot of people her and her mother knew. The old women who lived next door, the family from across the street, the Baylor's with whom her mother had opened a bakery shop with. The Nielson's who were close family friends. The Crosses, the Coxes and many more people. Gabriella couldn't help but feel empty as she watched all the families sit with each other and comfort one another. Another reason for her emptiness was a certain family she loved. She took her seat near to the small stage and fiddled with her hands. Most people had arrived and were now seated waiting for the ceremony to begin. Gabriella was panicking slightly, how was she going to do this without them? Just as she thought this, a loud honking was heard and a black SUV parked up, out stepped the family she was waiting for. The Boltons. Jack Bolton, coach of East High and a second father to Gabriella. Lucille Bolton, a dear friend of Leanne's and also Gabriella's second mother. Case Bolton, a great friend of Gabriella's and also an older sister to her. Last but definitely not least out came Troy Bolton. Gabriella's closest friend even though their conversations took place silently. The Boltons rushed over quickly, slightly embarrassed that they arrived late, but Gabriella couldn't care less. They were here. Jack and Lucille sat behind Gabriella and gave her a small reassuring smile. Casey sat next to Gabriella and placed an arm around the brunette's shoulders. Troy took the seat on the other side of Gabriella, giving her a comforting smile as he sat. As soon as the ceremony began Gabriella gripped Troy's hand and refused to let go. Troy just gave her a sad smile and stroked her hand as she wept silent tears.

It was time for Sharpay to come up and sing. It was supposed to be Gabriella who was singing but she refused, so Sharpay stepped up to the plate.

"Ahem…Leanne was like a second mother to me and I miss her as much as the next person. This song is dedicated to her, she will always be in our hearts and our hearts will go on." Sharpay spoke a few words before clearing her throat and opening her mouth. The sound that came out touched each and every heart at the funeral.

Every night in my dreams I see you. I feel you. That is how I know you go on. Far across the distance And spaces between us You have come to show you go on. Near, far, wherever you are I believe that the heart does go on Once more you open the door And you're here in my heart And my heart will go on and on Love can touch us one time And last for a lifetime And never go till we're one Love was when I loved you One true time I hold to In my life we'll always go on Near, far, wherever you are I believe that the heart does go on Once more you open the door And you're here in my heart And my heart will go on and on There is some love that will not go away You're here, there's nothing I fear, And I know that my heart will go on We'll stay forever this way You are safe in my heart And my heart will go on and on

Gabriella cried as Sharpay sang, her voice filling Gabriella's ears and somewhat soothing her. She felt Troy squeeze her hand gently and responded by resting her head on his shoulder. She listened as Sharpay finished up.

"Thank you for taking the time out to come here and listen to me. Now to finish off the ceremony Gabriella Montez is going to come up and speak a few words about her mother." Sharpay said as she walked off the stage. The audience clapped quietly as the blonde sat down. Gabriella sat up straight and took a deep breath. She looked over at Troy one last time before standing up and walking over to the stage. She grabbed hold of the mike and stood in front of her mother's coffin. She trembled as she thought of her mother lying in that small, cod box. Gabriella shook the thought out of her head and turned to face all the people.

"I-" She opened her mouth, but only one vowel came out. She let go of the mike and dropped down to the ground crying. She placed her hands on her mother's coffin and her voice shook as she spoke.

"Don't l-leave me p-please! I-I n-need you!" She cried again and again. Her vision was now burry and her face was now smeared with tears and small amounts of mascara. But she couldn't care less; all she thought of was her mother. Troy stood up, not wanting to watch this any longer. He walked up onto the stage and gripped Gabriella by the arms. She clung onto the coffin, not wanting to let go. But she was weak and Troy was stronger. He managed to pull her off and she managed to get out of his grasp. Before he knew it, Gabriella was running down the stage and in another direction. The audience looked around, both scared and upset. Gabriella looked back once and then looked away again. She needed to get out of here. She ran over to her car and tried to open her car door, but she had left her purse at the funeral. Gabriella sighed and took off her heels as she ran off to the one place she always found peace. Troy ran over to her car and just missed her. He looked back at his family, who were know panicking. He sighed and took off in the same direction as Gabriella. He knew where she was headed, the same place she went to last time and the time before that. Troy panted and puffed as he ran but carried on nonetheless. He finally reached the park and ran over towards the pond. He stopped and smiled as he saw her slumped up by the pond. Her coat and shoes had been discarded and were taking refuge on the floor. He hair was let down and her head was in her hands as she sobbed. Troy reached her and bent down to hug her from behind. Gabriella turned around and cried onto him. He just held her as she let it all out.

**One Hour Later…**

Gabriella lifted her head.

"Troy…" She spoke softly. Troy sat up a little. Both had been lying on the ground by the pool for some time now.

"Yeah?" He asked his voice equally as soft.

"Why did she have to leave me?" Gabriella spoke. Troy sighed quietly.

"Remember last time you asked me a question similar to that?" He asked. Gabriella nodded. "Well the answer is the same. It was her time to go, whether we liked it or not." Troy said. Gabriella just nodded again.

"You know I never got to thank you for being here for me. I mean most people would just let me be. But you really understand and that's what I love about you. You understand me." Gabriella confessed. Troy smiled.

"I love everything about you Brie, and you don't need to thank me. I just did what I thought was right at the time. But I'm glad that you appreciate it." He thanked her. Gabriella sighed as Troy kissed her gently on the top of her head.

"Troy, promise me you'll always be here for me." Gabriella said after thinking for a while. Troy smiled and gently pressed a kiss to her lips.

"I promise. You know I'll always be there for you Brie." He said as he cradled her in his arms. Gabriella smiled with satisfaction. That was all she needed, his word. And now she knew that he would always be there for her.

* * *

**So that was just a small one-shot. I thought it was cute but my thoughts don't matter! Yours do! So review please!**


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